Separator for grain and the like



NOV- 16 1935 Q. ALLGAIER x-:TAL`

SEPARATOR FOR GRAIN AND THE LIKE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 6, 1962 Emm E6 Vl. mm m K 5 0 Nov. 16, 1965 o. ALLGAIER ETAL 3,217,561

SEPARATOR vFOR GRAIN AND THE LIKE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed NOV. 6, 1962 22IMI Zia INVENTORS; 651mg MGH/EA @sun/.2! Mm/c United States Patent O3,217,561 SEPARATR FR GRAIN AND THE LIKE Oskar Allgaier, Wangen, KreisGoeppingen, and Oswald Micko, Geislingen, Steige, Germany, assignors toAllgaier Werke G.m.b.H., Uhingen, Wurttemberg, Germany Filed Nov. 6,1962, Ser. No. 235,613 Claims priority, application Germany, Nov. 7,1961, A 38,766 2 Claims. (Cl. 74-600) The present invention relates toseparators in general, and more particularly to an improved separatorwhich may be used for classifying fractions of husked or unhusked grainand similar products.

It is an important object of our invention to provide an extremelysimple and highly reliable separator which may be rapidly converted forseparation of grain, flour and many other products into two, three ormore fractions and which may be rapidly converted for treatment ofdifferent types of products.

Another object of the invention is to provide a separator of the justoutlined characteristics which is constructed and assembled in such away that it is capable of separating various fractions of a product withutmost precision so that coarser fractions are free of liner fractionsand Vice versa.

A further object of the invention is to provide a separator of the typehaving one or more shaking or wobbling (jiggling) sifters whoseinclination and/or throw may be adjusted in an exceptionally simplemanner.

An additional object of the invention is to provide an improved sifterwhich may be used in a separator of the above outlined characteristics.

A concomitant object of the invention is to provide an improved casingfor one or more sifters which may be used in a separator of the abovedescribed type.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a combinedinclination and eccentricity adjusting arrangement for the casing of aseparator which comprises one or more sifters.

A further object of the invention is to provide a separator fortreatment and processing of widely different products which may beaccurately balanced in each position of inclination of its casing.

With the above objects in view, the invention resides in the provisionof a separator for grain and similar products which comprises aproduct-receiving casing adapted to accommodate one or more sifters, asubstantially vertical driver shaft, a driven shaft which is eccentricand inclined with respect to the driver shaft and which is rotatablyconnected with `the casing so that the latter wobbles when the drivenshaft orbits about the driver shaft, and an arrangement for transmittingmotion from the driver shaft to the driven shaft. In accordance with apreferred embodiment of the invention, the motion transmittingarrangement comprises a supporting member which is fixed to the upperend of the driver shaft, a supported member which is fixed to `the lowerend of the driven shaft and which is located above the supportingmember, hinge means adapted to connect the supported member to thesupporting member in such a Way that the supported member is pivotableabout a substantially horizontal axis to thereby change the inclinationof the driven shaft with respect to the driver shaft and that thesupported member may be angularly displaced about a second axis which.is substantially parallel with the axis of the driver shaft to therebychange the eccentricity of the driven shaft with respect to the drivershaft, means for detachably coupling the supported member to thesupporting member in various positions of inclination and in variouspositions of angular adjustment of the sup- 3,2 l 7,56 l Patented Nov.16, 1 965 ICC ported member, and means for adjusting the inclination ofthe supported member.

Certain other features of the invention reside in the provision of aspecially constructed sifter which may be used in the casing of ourseparator and which is provided with specially congurated guide wallmeans to direct the rejected fractions toward the associated outlet ofthe casing, in the provision of specially constructed means whichadjusts the inclination of the supported member, in the provision of aspecially constructed casing which may be readily taken apart and whichmay accommodate a greater or lesser number of sifters, and in theprovision of specially coniigurated and specially mounted collectingbottoms for overriding fractions of the product.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic of theinvention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. Theinvention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method ofoperation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, willbe best understood from the following detailed description of a specificembodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a somewhat schematic vertical section through a separatorwhich embodies our invention;

FIG. 2 is a horizontal section as seen in the direction of arrows fromthe line II--II of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary detail view of a part of the separatoras seen in the direction of arrow III in FIG. l;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational View of the structure shown in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged top plan view of the structure shown in FIGS. 3and 4.

Referring now in greater detail to the illustrated embodiment, and firstto FIG. 1, there is shown a separator which comprises three superposedcircular sifters 1, 2, 3, accommodated in the internal space of acylindrical casing 4. The uppermost sifter 3 of coarsest mesh dischargesthe overriding fractions of the product into a frustoconical collectingbottom 5 whose central opening or chute 5a delivers such fractions ontothe central portion of the intermediate sifter 2 of medium mesh. Thisintermediate sifter discharges the overriding fractions into a secondfrustoconical collecting bottom 6 whose central opening or chute 6adelivers such fractions onto the central portion of the lowermost sifter1 of finest mesh. The fractions which pass through the interstices ofthe sifter 1 descend onto a third collecting bottom 7 which dischargessuch fractions through a lateral outlet 8 of the casing 4. The fractionsrejected by the sifters 1, 2 and 3 are respectively discharged throughlateral outlets 9, 10 and 11 provided in the mantle of the casing 4, andthis casing comprises an inverted conical cover or lid 13 having acentral inlet 12 through which husked or unhusked grain or anotherproduct to be separated, assorted or classified is introduced at apredetermined rate. When the separator of FIG. 1 is in actual use,namely, when the casing 4 receives wobbling motion from a verticaldriver shaft 15 and when a product is admitted through the inlet 12, allcoarsest fractions which are rejected by the uppermost sifter 3 (i.e.,which cannot pass through the interstices of this sifter) are caused tomove toward and along the inner side of the casing 4 to be evacuatedthrough the outlet 11. The overriding fractions (which are small enoughto pass through the interstices of the uppermost sifter 3) descend intothe collecting bottom 5 and drop through the central opening 5a onto thesifter 2 which rejects all coarser fractions through the outlet 10whereas the remaining fractions descend through this sifter and into thecollecting bottom 6 to advance through the opening 6a onto the lowermostsifter 1. This sifter rejects all coarser fractions through the outlet 9and permits the remainder of the product to descend onto the lowermostbottom 7 to be evacuated through the outlet 8. Depending on the natureof the product, the casing 4 may accommodate a single sifter, twosifters or four or more sifters and a corresponding number of outletsand collecting bottoms.

In the separator of FIG. 1, the casing 4 comprises several superposedannular sections including an uppermost section 4a which is rigid withthe cover 13, with the sifter 3 and with the collecting bottom 5. Thenext section 4b is rigid with the sifter 2 and collecting bottom 6; thethird section 4c is rigid with the sifter 1; and the lowermost section4d is rigid with the collecting bottom 7. Such construction renders itpossible to rapidly convert the separator for treatment and processingof different products because the number of sifters may be varied atwill, i.e., sifters and collecting bottoms may be added, removed orexchanged in dependency oir-the ingredients and size of the product. Thesections 4a-4d are held together by clamping rods 4e whose lower endsare pivoted to the section 4d and whose upper ends carry nuts 4f whichmay engage suitable brackets 4g provided on the uppermost section 4a.

The arrangement which transmits wobbling movements to the casing 4comprises a drive means including a variable-speed electric motor 16awhich drives a first pulley 16b. A belt 16C which is trained around thepulley 16b drives a second pulley 16 provided at the lower end of thedriver shaft which is mounted in bearings 15a, 15b carried by astationary frame 14 which is fixed to the ground. This frame is coupledto the lowermost section 4d of the casing 4 by a series of uniformlydistributed retaining means here shown as elastic cables 20, whichpermit the casing to perform wobbling or shaking movements but whichhold the casing against rotary movements.

At its upper end, the shaft 15 carries a ixedly mounted horizontalplate-like supporting member 21 provided with a counterpoise 21 which isshiftable radially toward and away from the axis of the shaft 15 (seethe arrow 21" in FIG. 4) and which serves as a means for balancing themotion transmitting arrangement of the separator. This motiontransmitting arrangement further comprises the aforementioned supportingmember 21 and a substantially plate-like supported member 22 which ispivotable about the horizontal axis of a hinge including a pintle 23 andwhich is rigid with a driven shaft 17 whose axis is inclined withrespect to the axis of the driver shaft 15. The shaft 17 is rotatable ina suitable thrust bearing 18 provided at the underside of the collectingbottom 7. The general plane of the casing 4 is perpendicular to the axisof the shaft 17. It will be noted that the shaft 17 is eccentric withrespect to the driver shaft 15, i.e., that the shaft 17 is inclined withrespect to and that this driven shaft is also laterally displacedrelative to the driver shaft. Owing to such mounting of the shaft 17,the casing 4 is compelled to perform a wobbling or shaking movement assoon as the motor 16a is started whereby the fractions of the productdescending onto the central portions of the sifters 1, 2, 3 tend to movetoward the inner side of the casing 4 so that the overriding fractionspass through the interstices of the respective sifters and that therejected fractions advance toward the respective outlets in a fullyautomatic way. FIG. 2 shows that the upper side of the intermediatesifter 2 is provided with a helical guide wall 33 which advances therejected fractions in a helical path (arrows from the central portion ofthis sifter toward the outlet 10. Similar guide walls 33 are provided onthe sifters 1 and 3. A curled line 34 indicates in FIG. 2 the manner inwhich rejected fractions are swirled while advancing from the centralportion of the sifter 2 toward and through the outlet 10.

FIGS. 3 to 5 illustrate the adjusting means for changing the inclinationand the eccentricity of the driven shaft 17 with respect to the drivershaft 15. The inclination adjusting means comprises a wedge-like insert30 which is placed between the members 21, 22 so as to determine theextent to which the member 22 is pivoted about the horizontal axis ofthe pintle 23. As shown, the pintle 23 extends ybetween a pair of spacedupstanding lugs of a bracket 29 which is angularly adjustable withrespect t0 the supporting member 21 and which is detachably connected tothis member by coupling means here shown as bolts 28., The supportedmember 22 has an edge portion dening a sleeve which is turnable on thepintle 23. Thus, the bracket 29, the pintle 23 and the sleeve of themember 22 together constitute a hinge which permits pivotal movements ofthe member 22 with respect to the member 21 to thereby change theinclination of the driven shaft 17. The underside of the member 22 isformed with a series of step-like cutouts or recesses, 31, 31', 31 eachof which may come into abutment with the upper side of the insert 30when the latter is shifted along the upper side of the supporting member21. In the position of FIG. 4, the insert 30 abuts against the underside22a of the member 22 which means that the inclination of the drivenshaft 17 is maximal. If the insert 30 is withdrawn in a direction to theright, as viewed in FIG. 4, its left-hand end portion may come to restin the cutout 31 whereby the inclination of the shaft 17 is reduced,i.e., the axis of the shaft 17 is moved nearer to substantialparallelism with the vertical axis of the shaft 15. The inclination ofthe shaft 17 is reduced still further if the insert 3() is shifted to aposition in which it extends into the cutout 31 or 31". Theconfiguration of the c-utouts .3l-31 is preferably such that their topsurfaces may come into face-to-face abutment with the upper side of theinsert 3) if the insert 30 is shifted to a position in which a portionthereof extends into the respective cutout. The supported member 22 maytbe fixed in each position of angular adjustment about the pintle 23 bymeans of the aforementioned coupling bolts 28 and by additional bolts27. The bolts 28, 27, respectively extend through arcuate slots 25, 26provided in the bracket 29 and in the supported member 22. The centersof curvature of the slots 25, 26 for the bolts 28, 27 are located in animaginary Vertical axis 24 which is located between the pintle 23 andthe shaft 15. Therefore, if the supported member 22 is angularlydisplaced about the axis 24, the eccentricity of the driven shaft 17changes, i.e., the shaft 17 is moved nearer to or further away from thedriver shaft 15. This will be readily understood by looking at FIG. 5.Thus, While the insert 30 may change the inclination of the shaft 17 andhence the extent of vertical movement performed by the casing 4 (theextent to which this casing wobbles with respect to a horizontal plane),the angular displaceability of the shaft 17 about the imaginary axis 24enables the casing 4 to change its throw, that is, the extent to whichit moves back and forth in its own plane. By suitable selection of theinclination and eccentricity of the driven shaft 17, the operator mayadjust the separator for optimum treatment of different types of grainor other products which must be separated, assorted or classified intotwo or more fractions.

The counterpoise 21 is adjusted mainly when the supported member 22 isturned about the axis 24 to change the eccentricity of the driven shaft17.

Upon proper selection of the inclination and eccentricity of the drivenshaft 17, the walls 33 will rapidly/ guide all rejected fractions towardthe respective outlets. whereas the overriding fractions pass throughthe respective sifters and collecting bottoms.

One for most purposes sufficient and simplified form. of inventionexists in so far as the driven shaft only may' by applying currentknowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omittingfeatures that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constituteessential characteristics of the generic and specific aspects of thisinvention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to becomprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of thefollowing claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A separator for grain and similar products, comprising asubstantially vertical driver shaft having an upper end; an eccentricdriven shaft located above and inclined with respect to said drivershaft, said driven shaft having an upper end and a lower end, aproductreceiving casing located above and rotatably receiving the upperend of said driven shaft so as to wobble when said driven shaft orbitsabout said driver shaft, said casing being arranged to assume theinclination of said driven shaft; and an arrangement for transmittingmotion from said driver shaft to said driven shaft, said arrangementcomprising a supporting member xed to the upper endof said driver shaftand a supported member fixed to the lower end of said driven shaft andhaving an underside provided with a series. of stepped cutouts, combinedhinge and turning means connecting said supported member to saidsupporting member so that the supported member is pivotable about asubstantially horizontal axis to move said driven shaft into differentpositions of inclination with respect to said driver shaft and that thesupported member is angularly movable with respect to said supportingmember about a second axis which is substantially parallel with the axisof said driver shaft to thereby change the eccentricity of said drivenshaft independently of the adjustment of the in Clination thereof; andsecuring means cooperating with said combined hinge and turning means`for holding said supported member on said supporting member in anyselected one of a plurality of different positions of inclination andeccentricity, said securing means comprising an insert located betweensaid supporting member and said supported member and having a portionreceivable in a selected cutout of said supported member.

2. A separator as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of said cutouts hasa top surface which is in face-to-face abutment with said insert whenthe insert is received in the respective cutout.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 788,900 5/1905Harrison 74-87 961,814 6/1910 Snyder 209-3665 975,437 11/1910 Kunkel74-600 1,267,562 5/1918` Lindsay 209-366 1,829,707 10/1931 Kirchoif74-600 2,191,923 2/1940 Cecka 209-332 2,490,831 12/ 1949 Norvell 74-872,663,176 12/1953 Graham 68-171 2,755,173 7/1956 Shore 259-72 X2,848,110 8/1958 Hurst 209-332 2,946,440 7/ 1960 Simpson 209-36652,950,819 8/1960 Holman 209-332 3,047,151 7/ 1962 Hurst 209-332 OTHERREFERENCES Machinery, pages 144 and 145, April 1959.

HARRY B. THORNTON, Primary Examiner. HERBERT L. MARTIN, Examiner.

1. A SEPARATOR FOR GRAIN AND SIMILAR PRODUCTS, COMPRISING ASUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL DRIVER SHAFT HAVING AN UPPER END; AN ECCENTRICDRIVEN SHAFT LOCATED ABOVE AND INCLINED WITH RESPECT TO SAID DRIVERSHAFT, SAID DRIVEN SHAFT HAVING AN UPPER END AND A LOWER END, APRODUCTRECEIVING CASING LOCATED ABOVE AND ROTATABLY RECEIVING THE UPPEREND OF SAID DRIVEN SHAFT SO AS TO WOBBLE WHEN SAID DRIVEN SHAFT ORBITSABOUT SAID DRIVEN SHAFT, SAID CASING BEING ARRANGED TO ASSUME THEINCLINATION OF SAID DRIVEN SHIFT; AND AN ARRANGEMENT FOR TRANSMITTINGMOTION FROM SAID DRIVER SHAFT TO SAID DRIVEN SHAFT, SAID ARRANGEMENTCOMPRISING A SUPPORTING MEMBER FIXED TO THE UPPER END OF SAID DRIVERSHAFT AND A SUPPORTED MEMBER FIXED TO THE LOWER END OF SAID DRIVEN SHAFTAND HAVING AN UNDERSIDE PROVIDED WITH A SERIES OF STEPPED CUTOUTS,COMBINED HINGED AND TURNING MEANS CONNECTING SAID SUPPORTED MEMBER TOSAID SUPPORTING MEMBER SO THAT THE SUPPORTED MEMBER IS PIVOTABLE ABOUT ASUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL AXIS TO MOVE SAID DRIVEN SHAFT INTO DIFFERENTPOSITIONS OF INCLINATION WITH RESPECT TO SAID DRIVER SHAFT AND THAT THESUPPORTED MEMBER IS ANGULARLY MOVABLE WITH RESPECT TO SAID SUPPORTINGMEMBER ABOUT A SECOND AXIS WHICH IS SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL WITH THE AXISOF SAID DRIVER SHAFT TO THEREBY CHANGE THE ECCENTRICITY OF SAID DRIVENSHAFT INDEPENDENTLY OF THE ADJUSTMENT OF THE INCLINATION THEREOF, ANDSECURING MEANS COOPERATING WITH SAID COMBINED HINGE AND TURNING MEANSFOR HOLDING SAID SUPPORTED MEMBER ON SAID SUPPORTING MEMBER IN ANYSELECTED ONE OF A PLURALITY OF DIFFERENT POSITIONS OF INCLINATION ANDECCENTRICITY, SAID SECURING MEANS COMPRISING AN INSERT LOCATED BETWEENSAID SUPPORTING MEMBER AND SAID SUPPORTED MEMBER AND HAVING A PORTIONRECEIVABLE IN A SELECTED CUTOUT OF SAID SUPPORTED MEMBER.